Kay Starr was successful in every field of music she tried, jazz, country and pop. But her roots were in jazz, Billie Holiday, considered by many the greatest jazz singer of all time, called Starr "the only white woman who could sing the blues."
She is best remembered for introducing two songs that became #1 hits in the 1950s, "Wheel of Fortune" and "The Rock And Roll Waltz".
Kay Starr was born on a reservation in Dougherty, Oklahoma. Her father, Harry, was a full-blooded Iroquois Indian; her mother, Annie, was of mixed Irish and American Indian heritage. When her father got a job installing water sprinkler systems, the family moved to Dallas, Texas.
While her father worked for the Automatic Sprinkler Company, her mother raised chickens, and Kay used to sing to the chickens in the coop. As a result of the fact that her aunt, Nora, was impressed by her singing, she began to sing at the age of seven on a Dallas radio station, WRR, first in a talent competition where she finished third one week and won every week thereafter, then with her own weekly fifteen minute show. She sang pop and "hillbilly" songs with a piano accompaniment. By the age of ten, she was making $3 a night, a lot of money in the Depression days.
As a result of her father's changing jobs, her family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and she continued performing on the radio, singing "Western swing music," still mostly a mix of country and pop. It was while she was on the Memphis radio station WMPS that, as a result of misspellings in her fan mail, she and her parents decided to give her the name "Kay Starr". At the age of fifteen, she was chosen to sing with the Joe Venuti orchestra. Venuti had a contract to play in the Peabody Hotel in Memphis which called for his band to feature a girl singer, which he did not have; Venuti's road manager heard her on the radio, and suggested her to Venuti. Because she was still in junior high school, her parents insisted that Venuti take her home no later than midnight.
Although she had brief stints in 1939 with Bob Crosby and Glenn Miller (who hired her in July of that year when his regular singer, Marion Hutton, was sick), she spent most of her next few years with Venuti, until he dissolved his band in 1942. It was, however, with Miller that she cut her first record: "Baby Me"/"Love with a Capital You." It was not a great success, in part because the band played in a key more appropriate for Marion Hutton, which was less suited for Kay's vocal range.
Lover Man
Kay Starr Lyrics
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I long to try something I've never had
Never had no kissin', oh, what I've been missin'
Lover man, oh, where can you be
The night is cold and I'm so all alone
I'd give my soul just to call you my own
Got a moon above me, but there's no one to love me
I've heard it said
That the thrill of romance can be
Like a heavenly dream
I go to bed with a prayer
That you'll make love to me
Strange as it seems
Someday we'll meet
And you'll dry all my tears
Then whisper sweet little things in my ears
Huggin' and a-kissin'
Oh, what I've been missin'
Lover man oh where can you be
Oh, what I've been missin'
Lover man, oh, where can you be
The lyrics to Kay Starr's classic song "Lover Man" express a deep sense of yearning and longing for a romantic partner. The singer of the song is feeling sad and lonely, and desperately wishes for someone to love and hold. She confesses that she's never experienced the sensation of a first kiss before, and expresses her desire for intimacy with a lover. Despite the moon shining above her, she feels a sense of emptiness without someone to share her life with.
The lyrics also touch upon the surreal nature of romance, comparing it to a heavenly dream. The singer prays at night that she will find her "lover man" and that he will bring her the love and affection she so desperately craves. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer expressing faith that one day she will meet her lover, who will wipe away all of her tears and shower her with love and affection.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know why, but I'm feeling so sad
I'm not sure what's causing my sadness, but the feeling is very strong
I long to try something I've never had
I yearn to experience something new and exciting
Never had no kissin', oh, what I've been missin'
I've never been kissed before and I feel like I'm missing out on something wonderful
Lover man, oh, where can you be
I'm searching for a man who can fulfill my desire for love and affection
The night is cold and I'm so all alone
I'm feeling lonely and isolated in the chilly darkness of the night
I'd give my soul just to call you my own
I'm willing to make a huge sacrifice to have you as my own
Got a moon above me, but there's no one to love me
Although there is a beautiful moon in the sky, I have nobody to share it with
Lover man, oh, where can you be
I'm still on the hunt for my ideal romantic partner
I've heard it said that the thrill of romance can be like a heavenly dream
People have suggested that being in love can feel like a surreal and heavenly experience
I go to bed with a prayer that you'll make love to me, Strange as it seems
Even though it might sound unusual, I hope that you will come to love me and share physical intimacy with me
Someday we'll meet and you'll dry all my tears
I believe that someday I will find my true love and he will comfort me in times of sadness
Then whisper sweet little things in my ears
I long for the affectionate and loving words that will be whispered to me by my future lover
Huggin' and a-kissin', Oh, what I've been missin'
Physical contact like hugs and kisses is something I've never experienced, and I feel like I'm missing out
Lover man oh where can you be
Once again, I'm still searching for a romantic partner to fulfill my desires
Oh, what I've been missin'
I can't stop thinking about all the love and affection I've never had in my life
Lover man, oh, where can you be
I won't stop searching for true love until I find the man who can satisfy my every desire
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HAROLD ARLEN, TED KOEHLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind